Cultural appropriation, as we’ve previously talked about last week, is becoming a fast-growing trend among pop culture and its consumers. From bindis to head dresses, some people seem to treat certain cultures’ identifying and/or religious wear into fashion trends; and that is a big problem. This mostly occurs among the current generation of youth with the influence of media, fashion, and music. A lot of other people have spoken out about the issue at hand, and just recently, a video of a young teen icon’s stand on cultural appropriation has gone viral.

You might know her as Rue from the Hunger Games and she might only be sixteen years old, but Amandla Stenberg is more aware of the issues on cultural appropriation than most people are. Three months ago, Amandla uploaded a short video that she and her friend had made for their history class on her Tumblr page. Entitled as “Don’t Cash Crop My Cornrows — a crash discourse on black culture”, she talks about the realities of white people adopting black culture without really taking into consideration what are the important meanings behind the things they have amassed. Particularly she talks about how black hair has become an “urban hairstyle” in the modern world.

“Black hair has always been an essential component of black culture. Black hair requires upkeep in for it order to grow and remain healthy. So black women have always done their hair. It’s just part of our identity; braids, locks, twists, and cornrows, etc. Cornrows are a functional way of keeping black textured hair unknotted and neat but with style. So you can see why hair is such a big part of hip-hop and rap culture. These are styles of music which African-American communities created in order to affirm our identities and our voices….Pop stars and icons have adopted black culture as a way of being edgy and gaining attention.”

She then talks about how some adopt and celebrate black culture but do not seem to care about black people and the currently circulating issues affecting them. She specifically points out how Iggy Azalea has grown to be an “icon” of some sort in hip-hop/rap because of how she has embraced the culture, yet she chooses to ignore and sometimes even contribute to the heavy racism and brutality black people [and even other people of color] experience. Iggy is one prime example of how cultural appropriation as well as racism is being taken ever so lightly by popular celebrities.

“Appropriation occurs when a style leads to racist generalizations or stereotypes where it originated but is deemed as high-fashion, cool or funny when the privileged take it for themselves. Appropriation occurs when the appropriator is not aware of the deep significance of the culture that they are partaking in. Hip-hop stems from a black struggle, it stems from jazz and blues, styles of music African-Americans created to retain humanity in the face of adversity. Which itself stems from songs used during slavery to communicate and survive. On a smaller scale but in a similar vein, braids and cornrows are not merely stylistic. They’re necessary in order to keep black hair neat. I've been seeing this question a lot on social media, and I think it's really relevant, ‘What would America be like if we loved black people as much as we love black culture?’”

We salute Amandla Stenberg for her honesty and for being the right celebrity people should look up to. Not many young celebrities nowadays use their fame to openly express their opinions and to inform others about social issues (of course with an exception of a few such as Tavi Gevinson, Willow Smith, and Maisie Williams). So we are proud to call Amandla as our Woman Crush Wednesday and hopefully she continues being the inspiration that she is to many people, including us!

There is definitely no shortage of strong female characters in Game of Thrones. Leading the pack would be Daenerys Targaryan but not far behind is Arya Stark, the youngest daughter of the unfortunate Stark clan.

(*SPOILER ALERT*) At a very young age, she was separated from her family and was left to fend for her own. She was forced on a journey that entailed an impossible amount of courage and strength, yet she is still one of the few characters who have survived until the fifth season. But even when she was still with her family, she didn't let the stereotypical notion of womanhood get in her way.

At the time when being a lady meant sewing, wearing pretty dresses, and supporting the men in their lives, she made it clear that a woman wasn't and shouldn’t be defined by all of those things. She showed everyone, even at such a young age, that being a lady means being independent, tough, and smart as well. She wasn't scared to play with boys, get dirty, and defend herself and her family when necessary. She even learned how to fight with her trusty sword, which was a smart decision if I say so myself. Despite the tough and determined attitude, Arya’s character is still able to convey compassion. It's clear in every episode that even though she will do anything to survive, she still knows what's right from wrong.

But the actress behind Arya is equally as strong and determined. Maisie Williams, believe it or not, is only 17. In 2011, she got her first acting job as the orphaned Stark and just like her spunky character, Maisie had to grow up quickly too. Thanks to the hit show she’s starring in, she had to “be an adult” at age 12 which could be why she’s so mature, grounded, and wise for her age. She wouldn’t call herself famous per se but she’s aware of the influence she has which is why she uses it for good by spreading awareness about certain issues. She’s a self-proclaimed feminist and even criticized Emma Watson’s He for She speech for highlighting “first world feminism.” Some may say that what she did was completely the opposite of feminism but she did make a point. But gender equality isn’t the only topic she’s shed some light on. She also fights against breast cancer and cyber bullies. In fact, she’s going to be starring in a new show that talks about cyber bullying after experiencing it herself a few years back. Despite being a busy actress with big responsibilities on her shoulders, she doesn’t forget to be a fun teenager. She still loves going to parties, shopping, and making entertaining Vines. I think we also have to give her props for being confident and brave when it comes to her fashion choices considering people love to criticize anything young celebrities do nowadays.

You might be thinking, “there are so many other feminists who are more active than Maisie so why should we look up to her?” It’s true that are other feminists who’ve contributed or done more but Maisie’s doing something that everyone should do as well. She’s starting the change from herself. She might not be out there making speeches about gender equality but she promotes it in her everyday life. She doesn’t keep quiet about the issues that surround us today by standing her ground and sharing smart opinions on subjects that matter. Although there are many other inspiring female role models, the smart and passionate Maisie should still be considered an inspiration.

"Feminism is not a dirty word. It doesn't mean you hate men, it doesn't mean you hate girls that has nice legs and a tan, and it doesn't mean that you're a bitch or a dyke. It means that you believe in equality."- Kate Nash

With all the problems and issues going on around the world today and with the influx of information literally at the tip of our fingers, it's up to us to determine and filter the things that we will allow ourselves to know and work on. After immersing ourselves in various forms of media and knowledge, it's up to us to decide on what we can do with all these information. One day, after several long hours of thinking and contemplating, 27-year-old British indie singer Kate Nash decided that she wanted to change. She said:

"I've grown lazy because I’d rather look at pretty pictures of cool stuff than read about Gaza, or I can’t finish a book because I’m used to information in 140 characters these days. Well I realised this about myself and decided to change that. This is not the kind of grown up I want to be. I want to be informed and I want to be part of inciting change and fighting injustices. I can’t do that if my area of expertise is cute Youtube videos or cool girls on Instagram." (Source) And so this multi-talented singer-songwriter and occasional actress decided to take the second step: she tried to figure out what she can do with all the information she now has and figure out how she can help out through her area of expertise. Knowing that she can't just proceed with anything alone, she came up with Girl Gang.

Wake up every morning and tell yourself you're a badass bitch from hell and that no one can fuck with and then don't let anybody fuck with you.

Girl Gang is a weekly meeting that Kate first held in her garage. By rounding up a group of like-minded girls around her area, they created a strong group of individuals who discuss different issues and beliefs and in the process, empower each other to become better. Through the songs and videos they post on their Youtube channel and various social media accounts, the members of Girl Gang get to express themselves and show the world the things they do and advocate. After a few months, Girl Gang meetings are not just limited to the confines of Kate's garage. People of all gender from all over the world have come together in their own neighborhoods and started their own Girl Gang meetings - all done with the help of social media.

Kate Nash is one of the many artists who utilize what they have and where they are to connect with other people and do their best to help out in the various causes and issues happening around the world. Through music and social media, Kate Nash was able to bring something similar to the 90's Riot Grrrl movement into the 21st century and consequently, giving people a new way to express themselves and you can join too!

Even before she was welcomed into Monaco’s royal family, Grace Kelly was already highly regarded as a member of Hollywood royalty. This beautiful and strong woman was definitely born to wear the crown. But aside from being heralded with glamorous titles such as Queen of Hollywood and Princess of Monaco, Grace was also known for her kind and giving personality. When Grace Kelly officially retired as an actress and began her life as Princess Grace, she headed many charities and philanthropic organizations. In fact, she was the president of the Monaco Red Cross. During her first year as a Princess, Grace organized a yearly Christmas party for the Monegasque children. And get this: no parents were allowed to attend the party. How adorable is that? Princess Grace definitely exhibited a special concern for the welfare of children. In 1966, she launched Monaco’s first daycare center, of which she was a regular visitor ready to play, sing and read to the children. The daycare also enabled mothers to pursue careers separate from housework. In 1963, Grace founded AMADE, a non-profit organization that “promotes and protects the moral and physical integrity and spiritual well-being of children throughout the world, without distinction of race, nationality or religion and in a spirit of complete political independence.” Grace Kelly also placed importance in the arts. In 1964, she founded La Fondation Princesse Grace, which aims to “to foster involvement among young people in the creative arts, especially to provide scholarships for eligible young students.”

Aside from her outstanding involvement in charity work, I think that what best makes Grace Kelly Woman-Crush-Wednesday-Worthy is her down-to-earth and honest disposition. With her golden hair, blue eyes and natural elegance, it is easy to label her as a glamorous ice-queen. However, nothing is further from the truth. Grace Kelly may possess otherworldly beauty and exceptional talent, but she never failed to tell people that she was not perfect. That her life was not perfect. In fact, she once said that “The idea of my life as a fairy tale is itself a fairy tale.” and “I certainly dont think of my life as a fairy tale, I think of myself as a modern, contemporary woman who has had to deal with all kinds of problems that many women today have to deal with. I am still trying to cope.” She liked reminding people that behind the seemingly perfect facade is a woman who experiences pain and hurt like the rest of us. Grace never even liked being a movie star, saying: “I loved acting- working in the theatre and in pictures. But I really didn't like being a movie star. I loved working at my craft, but I didn't like everything that went with the public’s idea of what a movie star ought to be.” She loved the opportunity of expressing her art, yet she detested the smoke and mirrors that came along with the publicity and fame. Nowadays, it is rare to hear such confessions and views from highly celebrated actors and actresses. But Grace was unafraid. She was honest, open and fearless to express her opinions and stories.

Grace Kelly is most definitely a woman that we could all look up to and take as a role model. She was a celebrity famous for her perfect face, perfect body, perfect hair, perfect acting, perfect marriage, perfect wedding dress and perfect fairy tale of a life. And yet, she was the first to say that her fairy tale story is truly what it is - a fairy tale. A mere work of fiction. In a way, Grace was the antithesis of the celebrities of today, who strive to create the illusion of a perfect life through their glamorous instagram pictures and photoshopped viral pictures. She reminds us all that we don’t need have the perfect fairy tale story to be a great woman. In her last interview before her death, Grace Kelly was asked how she would like to be remembered. She replied: “I would like to be remembered as a person who accomplished something, who was kind and loving. I would like to leave behind me the memory of a human being who behaved properly and tried to help others.”